Blind Technology

.There has been a meme going around lately that shows a blind person holding a white cane and a cell phone. The caption says something like what is wrong with this picture.I went blind almost 5 years ago and before I went blind I would have wondered how the person used their phone. I would not have been mad because the cane shows the person is blind and cannot use a phone. Blind people use their phone because now the phones can talk with a screen reader or even use some other kind of accessibility. Blind people are not as helpless or clueless as most of the general community thinks. Blind people can use a phone, a computer, a stove, and almost anything a visual person can use. There are blind people who take care of their own children without visual help. There are blind people who take care of their own selves and their pets. There are blind people who travel the world without assistance. I do not understand how a simple picture can make so much of a fuss with visual people. Maybe I can understand though because I have actually had a few people take my phone out of my hand and yell at me your phone is off. I keep what is called a screen curtain on because the brightness of my phone will hurt my eyes after using it for awhile. Technology is apart of most blind people's lives because without it some stuff will be difficult. There are apps that help us tell what color something is. There are apps that can help blind people tell what a food is by scanning the bar code. There are apps that can tell a blind person what a peice of clothing is by taking a picture of it and describing it. There are even apps that can scan a document and read it out to the blind person. Blind people even play games on their phones because they are based on sound. There are so many advancements in this world with technology so why do people still think that if someone is blind that person is unable to do anything. Visual people carry their phones with them all the time so why can't a blind person figure out how to use a phone. This world can be so ignorant and unwilling to learn when it comes to something they think is impossible. Just because a visual person cannot imagine doing something does not mean someone else is not doing it at that moment. Some people were not even born blind so they had to go threw the difficulty of re learning how to live being blind. I want to make a challenge to any perfectly sighted person reading this post that next time you may meet a blind person ask them how their day is going. Also have a real conversation with them because they are human beings too. I would advice though do not bring up how amazing they are for doing daily tasks you do everyday. Blindness has become normal to them so doing what they do on a daily bases is just the way they live. O by the way I made this blog post on my phone with a bluetooth keyboard. 

A New Year.....

Well, this is another year for us all. this is another year to have love and another year to have friendships. this is another year to enjoy life with all of its trials and tribulations. this is another year to be strong and face challenges head on. This is another year to fall down, but get back up. Last year was troublesome for me,but also great because I got my beautiful guide dog Greyson. This year will be my year. I will focus on myself and my partnership with Greyson. this year I will do my best to get in the job field and even get back to Jiu Jitsu. I was not able to continue it because I made a mistake that took me out of it. I do not regret that mistake though because I got to make it and learn from it. This year I will walk many miles with my boy Greyson and if someone wants to join me they have to keep up. I know there are many people out there who will make resolutions and most likely not keep them threw out the entire year. Some of those resolutions could be losing weight, getting a better job, or even having good friends to depend on. Make this year your year and keep those resolutions and if you need help find someone else who has the same resolution and do it with them. this year has just begun so don't give up yet. Some of us may even find that someone who will stay at our side forever. Some of us may have the most heart ache pain that is almost unbearable. Some of us will fall into a hole that seems endless. Some of us may have a child that will give us the most joy we will ever experience in our lives. This is another year for anything to happen. Make your choices, face your challenges head on, stand up when you fall, and always remember to be who you are and don't let someone else tell you different. If a new experience comes up try it, it may open new doors for you. If you are a reader read as many books as you can and take new genre suggestions. If you are a writer write as many poems, short stories, or even blog posts that you can think of. If you are a runner run as many miles as you can. If you are a singer sing as many songs as you can. Don't say I can't do it that will only make your year terrible.this is another year to do your best and to see how strong you can be. How will you make this year yours?

A Day of Greyson

Hi, My name is Greyson and I will try to put my day down into words for you. I help my Mom get to places she wants to go safely. I protect her from going into the road I think she calls it.All I know is that I keep her from going towards those big, strange metal things. I help her get around things that may be in our way while walking like trees, metal things in the sidewalk, or something else that may be in our way. My day starts with food and water. Then I get to go to the potty because I have had to go all night, but I know if I go where I sleep I will make my Mom mad at me and I never want that. Sometimes there is wet stuff falling from the sky and I really don't want to be out in it, but I have to go potty before my mom lets me go back inside. My mom has to say bye to the guy I like so much and my friend Chance I think his name is goes and stays outside for a long time. Sometimes my mom will let me go back to sleep after I go potty in the morning, but other times we may go out doing something with the man I like so much. Other times she may have me practice sitting, staying when I can't see her which is really hard, or even laying down which I love. I don't understand why she makes me do this over and over because I already know it, but I don't mind so much because she gives me lots of petting. So now it may be another time for me to go potty which is good because I really have to go. I get water after this time, but I don't always want it so I have to tell my mom no I don't want it. Sometimes my friend will come in and we can play for a while. I love these times because I can rough house with him and he does not mind. Sometimes he will get tired so he may need a break then I try to get my little friend to play, but she just looks at me and goes back to cleaning herself. I think my mom calls her Jazmine and she smells different than my big friend. By this time my mom is getting my stuff to go out on a walk and I am happy to do this. My big friend has to go back outside and I have to go potty again before we go. She puts on my outfit and we go. I love these times Sometimes on walks there is other friends I want to say Hi to, but my mom reminds me I have to keep her safe so I do. there also are little people like my mom, but they smell really good and make loud noises that make me want to play. Again my mom has to remind me to protect her I think I do a good job most of the time because she gives me petting and tells me I was a good boy. Finally we get back home and I get food and water again.I am very hungry from walking so fast and much so I gobble up my food and then water. I get to go potty again and I really have to go because I drank so much. Most of the time I get to rest the rest of the day while my mom does stuff. I try to get my little friend to play with me again but she won't I don't get it. All she does is clean herself and steal petting from my mom. Soon the man I like so much comes home and we may go back out in his metal thing. I have to curl up by my mom's large funny looking paws so we can go . Finally I get to go potty again for the last time of the day so it makes me feel good for the sleeping time. I almost forgot the man I like so much has this other little friend, but I don't think she likes me so much.When I first met her she hurt my nose and now she makes strange noises at me when she sees me. I think my mom calls her Sheba. She is not like my other little friend that allows me to give her kisses and nudges. this little friend will run away if I try to smell her. It makes me sad. My day is just about over if my mom does not give me a brushing which feels really nice.she may also put this really good tasting stuff on my teeth. well I think it is time for me to go to sleep. I have my own bed, but I like to sleep with my mom so I get in her bed.she does not mind most of the time. Good night all my friends and lay like I do on your back it is very nice.

Leader Dog

I traveled by plane for the first time to get to class and I did not even realize when the plane took off until the flight attendant said over the speaker we were now 10,000 feet in the air. when I arrived it was a Sunday so not much was done but unpacking and socializing with others who got there, On Monday we did something called Juno walks.A Juno walk is the trainer holding the harness that will go on your dog. The point of these walks is to learn the commands and corrections if they need to be made to the dog. I got my new guide dog the next day because it was a short class and all the trainers thought we should get extra time since it was a short class. I was presented with a yellow lab named Greyson. A awesome fact is Greyson was raised in the prison system not with a family. So for his first full year of life he stayed with this person and they taught him basic commands and things that may be strange to the dog. The first week went by very quickly and before I knew it Sunday was there. Sundays are the days Greyson gets to just be a dog they are for play, lazing around, and recouping from the week. The second week also went by very quickly but we learned many more things together. Greyson and I went along busy roads and longer routes where there were many obstacles. When there may be a ground or just an obstacle in the sidewalk Greyson stops to let me know something is there and I should check it out. Once I do so I take a step back and give the command forward and he has the responsibility to take the safest way around the obstacle. On Saturday I was not feeling Greyson and I were progressing well but in the morning we took an independent walk with just trainers at certain points just in case we needed help. That walk made me feel better on how we are working together but in the afternoon my feelings were in a way I could not describe because we did a very busy mall. To go into a busy mall and not run into anything was amazing. Greyson easily guided me around people and obstacles smoothly and with grace. I found out many people are not expecting to see a dog in a place like a mall so they can get startled.I had that happen Greyson and I passed a woman and she dropped all her stuff because she was not expecting to see Greyson the next day was Father's day and my dad came to visit me for a couple hours. He had some trouble getting there because a belt broke on his vehicle so he had to have a friend bring him another one. Greyson met my dad and he likes him so that is very good. Then was the last week. the last week I really enjoyed because we went and did a route in Detroit and I got to go on a people mover for the first time. I also learned if Greyson and I are on a platform like for a train or the people mover and I try to tell Greyson to go forward and nothing is there he will actually turn the other way and not go off the drop off. We also walked a trail the last week which was very nice because I like to go hiking and I was wondering how Greyson would handle that situation. Thursday came around and I signed the papers that made Greyson and I an official team. We also got an I.D that has our picture on it and it says we are a Leader Dog team on the back of the I.D there is the ADA law. I went home on Friday with Greyson. It was an interesting experience going threw security and riding on a plane with him. Greyson got very stressed after security and he threw up but after that everything went well. I was very surprised when I was told only 40% of all the puppies that are born make it threw to class and graduate with a handler.Some dogs may not like the responsibility of the job, some dogs may be too hyper, some dogs may even be too lazy. These dogs are called career change dogs. Leader Dog does its best to put the career change dogs in a position somewhere else like working with a person in a wheelchair or even in the airport. If there are any questions I can answer just put them in the comments.

Animals and Us

We have all had or wanted a pet in our lives. The people who have had animals or pets know the feelings they give to us. We get unconditional love, peacefulness, and care from a creature that does not know how to hate. We can own all kinds of animals like, dogs, cats, horses, pigs, or even hedge hogs. Some of these creatures do not like to cuddle a lot but we love them to bits and feel heartbroken when they may pass. The people who have not had a pet I think you are missing out because animals give such love and caring without even asking for it. All these types of animals have all different types of personalities which make our relationships with them so interesting. Some can be quieT AND really independent but some can also be hyper and playful. Families with kids really do benefit from having a pet because I believe it teaches the kids responsibility and how to take care of a creature that may not take care of theirselves.People who get their pet qualified for being a therapy animal I believe they are doing a benefit for the community because they may bring them to hospitals, nursing homes, or homeless shelters. These places do well with these animals because people who may be in the hospital for a while gets hope and a brightness in their spirits that can not be explained.Bringing a therapy animal into a nursing home brings happiness and joy back again into those peoples hearts. Homeless shelters also benefit because showing those people the happiness that an animal may bring to them helps with maybe one day an animal will be adopted by them. I personally own a cat, a dog, and soon a guide dog. What kind of animal do you own? Do you own a weird animal you love to bits?

Blind Troubles...

Each and every day I have many troubles and a lot of them are due to being blind. I never let these troubles keep me down though, I push past the difficulties in life to live a normal life like everyone else. I have the troubles of running into garbage cans, cars, and every once in a while into someone. Running into the garbage cans and cars are due to me walking along the curb to get out to the street so I can get on the bus. I can not walk on any sidewalks until I get to a busy street because either there are none or they cut off randomly which is very weird.I use the bus system to get around most of the time and they are great. At times though they do not announce the stops so I have to depend on the driver to tell me when my stop is coming up. At other times the bus I need just passes me up without even stopping so I have to wait for the next bus depending on when the next one comes. I am getting a guide dog next month so running into things will no longer be an issue. I love to inform people on how I do everything being blind but a lot of people are so rude when they see me walking around. Some people like to grab me to try and guide me to where I may be going which is completely wrong and rude. I do not know any blind person who likes to be grabbed and drug around because that person does not know how to guide. Another rude gesture is when people call my cane a stick I understand it looks like a stick but it is a cane just like the one elderly may use. One personal thing that bothers me the most and I have heard this one from other blind people to is when other people with vision move everything around and do not tell me where it was moved so it takes me a long time to find it. One thing I want to challenge anyone who is reading this post is to try and eat food with a blind fold on, walk around your house with no lights on , take a shower in the dark, or get dressed in the dark. You do not have to try it I just think it will open many eyes to how blind people live their lives everyday. Blindness is not something that can cause someone to have no life and do nothing because it seems so impossible. I had sight for many years and actually going blind has been a eye opener for me because now I see the true way people are when it comes to differences in people. I actually tend to forget that I am blind because I have adapted to living blind very well and truly excepted going blind. Try my challenge and you can see too.

The White Cane

A lot of blind people use a white cane that helps them navigate and avoid obstacles in their path. A visually impaired person also benefits from using one if they are night blind which means even though they can see during the day they are not able to see at night. Another reason for sometimes needing a cane is if a person is not able to walk on very bright days when there are not many clouds. For a person who has some remaining vision, an identification cane is useful as it lets them know if something is in their peripheral vision or right in front of them - in the case that they have a central vision loss. An identification cane also lets the public know that the individual using it may have some degree of vision loss. A totally blind person needs a cane to detect cracks in the sidewalk, find and use grass lines, and to help with finding where stairs are, to name a few. The white canes are not just white, they are red and white because it helps someone with sight notice the cane. It is also possible to specialty order canes for the visually impaired and different colors. The white cane may also be made out of aluminum, fiberglass or graphite. There are many different tips that may come with a white cane. They are called marshmallow, pencil, ceramic, or flat tip. There are straight canes, folding canes and telescoping canes. A folding cane and a telescoping cane are a lot easier to break at the joints, but the straight cane will break if there is not a proper place to store it. there are two ways to use a cane the techniques are constant contact or two touch . Constant contact is when the tip of the cane stays on the ground and is rolled the persons shoulder length. The two touch is when the user steps with the left foot and the cane is on the right where the shoulder would be the opposite happens when the user taps the cane on the left side on the ground. Some users use a mixture of both while walking.Personally I like the folding cane with a pencil tip and I use the two touch technique unless I need to switch to constant contact for one or more reasons. Some of those reasons can be to find truncated domes to cross a sidewalk. These are the bumpy things most people have no idea what they are for. I have had many interesting times with my cane. Many times I was walking down the hallway in school and got my cane caught in between someones legs while they are walking and my cane snaps in half. I have also had times that a mobility specialist is trying to show me something on the ground I may come across at times and I completely miss it. I have also gotten a graphite cane stuck straight which I was told is nearly impossible with a crack along the side. I have dropped my cane many times while walking around because I catch cracks and my cane gets caught and I let go. Other times I have someone accidentally kick it out of my hand. Some funny moments are when I am trying to get on the bus and while the doors are opening I get my cane caught on the opening door.. I have also gotten my cane caught in bushes when they are really close to the sidewalk. The most fun is when I am walking close to another person with a white cane and their cane hits mine over and over it seems like we are having a sword/cane fight.I am willing to answer any questions about the white cane or otherwise.